Hand-operable or finger-operable dispensers (including, for example, both dispensing pumps and aerosol dispensing valves) are typically adapted to be mounted on hand-held containers that are commonly used for liquid products. Typically, some pumps and valves operate with a suitable discharge structure, such as a mechanical break-up unit, to produce a fine mist or atomized spray. Some pumps also operate to dispense a quantity of product in a liquid, cream, or paste form.
Some hand-operable pumps conventionally employ a pump cartridge having a chamber in which is disposed a pressurizing piston that can be actuated by the user's finger pressing down on an external actuator (e.g., button) which has a dispensing passage and which is connected to the piston with a hollow discharge tube or stem. The hollow stem establishes communication between the pump chamber and actuator from which the product is discharged. A spring acts against the piston or actuator to return the piston and actuator upwardly to the elevated, rest position when the finger pressing force is released.
Another type of hand-operable pump includes a trigger or lever which is pulled to move the actuator and discharge stem downwardly to actuate the pump. Such a system typically, but not necessarily, provides a mechanical advantage to the user to facilitate actuation.
Pump packages or dispensers are widely used for dispensing liquid products which may be cosmetic products, or other personal care products such as hair spray, body spray, sun care products, etc. Pump packages may also be used for institutional and household products, such as window cleaner, disinfectants, etc. For many of these types of products, the pump dispenser is provided with some sort of locking mechanism to render the actuator or button inoperable by latching the button in a particular position which must be released by the user performing a manipulation on the button or latch mechanism. This insures that the product is not dispensed accidentally during shipping or storage when the pump actuator button might be subjected to inadvertent impact.
Locking mechanisms can be used with fine mist pumps for products such as hair spray. The locking mechanism for such fine mist pumps can include a hood, overcap, or other cover that prevents the actuator form being actuated unintentionally during shipping or storage. However, even a hood can be knocked off of the package, and that would leave the actuator unprotected such that the actuator could be inadvertently bumped and perhaps partially depressed or actuated.
In those designs where a hood is employed, the disadvantages are that such a hood is an additional component that must be provided by the manufacturer, and the hood must subsequently be removed from the pump by the user (and perhaps retained by the user for subsequent replacement on the pump).
In some types of pump dispensers, whether or not a hood or overcap is provided, the button or actuator mounted to the dispensing pump stem might be relatively easily pulled off (after any hood is removed), or otherwise separated from, the dispensing pump stem. In many applications, it would be desirable to provide a system that would make the removal of the actuator or button from the stem more difficult while at the same time providing a locking system to prevent unintentional actuation.
It would further be desirable to provide a locking system that could be readily employed with a trigger pump. There are a number of conventional locking mechanisms for use with a trigger pump. One trigger pump locking mechanism is provided on the end of the discharge nozzle or spout and functions as a nozzle restrictor which can be rotated about the axis of the dispensing orifice to an “off” orientation that completely blocks the orifice, or to a second orientation that provides a “spray” stream, or to a third orientation that provides a “stream” discharge. Another type of locking mechanism that is suitable for trigger pumps is a clip-style lock that includes a removable clip which physically prevents actuation of the trigger when the clip is in place in the locking position. The clip must be removed to permit actuation of the trigger pump. When the clip is removed, it could possibly be lost or inadvertently discarded. Another type of locking mechanism suitable for use on trigger pumps is a removable plug that can be wedged into the trigger mechanism so that the trigger mechanism cannot be actuated. Such a removable locking plug also could be lost or inadvertently discarded, or even purposely stolen.
Like the above-discussed pump type dispensers, aerosol valve dispensers are typically mounted at the top of a container, such as a metal can containing a pressurized product. Conventional aerosol valve dispensing systems for a container include a hollow body which is open at the top and bottom ends and which is mounted in the top of the container. The bottom end of the hollow body is open to the pressurized contents in the container (usually through a dip tube connected to the bottom end opening in the aerosol valve body). A compression spring in the body biases a stem upwardly to project partly out of a body top end opening through an annular gasket at the top of the body. The upper part of the stem includes an internal, vertical discharge hole that is open at the upper end of the stem and that is connected to an external actuator button which has a dispensing passage from which the aerosol spray can be dispensed. Below the upper end of the stem, the stem has one or more lateral orifices which communicate with the vertical discharge hole inside the stem. Until the actuator button is pressed, the lateral orifices in the stem are located adjacent the inner cylindrical vertical surface of the annular gasket at the top of the valve body, and fluid inside the valve body is blocked by the gasket from flowing into the stem lateral orifices. When the actuator button is depressed, the stem is forced downwardly against the spring so as to locate the lateral orifices in the body below the gasket to permit the pressurized fluid in the valve body to flow through the stem lateral orifices, up the stem vertical hole, and through the actuator button.
It would be desirable to provide an improved dispensing assembly for a dispensing package which could be readily employed with pumps and aerosol valves, and which would include a locking mechanism to minimize the likelihood of unintended actuation.
Preferably, the improved assembly should accommodate a relatively robust design to prevent dislodgement of the locking mechanism and/or actuator from the package during impact, such as when the package is dropped or bumped.
It would also be desirable if such an improved locking mechanism could optionally accommodate designs that provide a tactile and/or audible indication to the user that the locked and unlocked positions are being reached as the components are manipulated by the user.
It would also be beneficial if an improved dispensing assembly for a dispensing package could optionally accommodate incorporation of various aesthetically pleasing designs.
The improved dispensing assembly should preferably also accommodate designs for use with standard containers, cans, or bottles.
It would also be desirable if the constituent components of such an improved assembly could be relatively easily molded or otherwise economically manufactured with high production quality, and could provide consistent operating parameters unit-to-unit with high reliability.
The present invention provides an improved system which can accommodate designs having one or more the above-discussed benefits and features.